mallett



(NoModeL) a SSheets-Sheet 1. F. W. MALLETT.

NEEDLE MACHINE.

No. 275.782. Patented Apr. 10,1883.

h 025m M4710 fir (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. W. MALLETT.

. NEEDLE MAUHINB.

No. 275,782. Patented Apr. 10,1883.

wv Pimps. Pboto-btho nphur, memo-v. n4;

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

\ F. W. MALLETT.

NEEDLE MACHINE. No. 275,782. Patented Apr.10,1883.

NY PETERS. vnowumo mn wankm. n. c.

FRANCIS W. MALLETT, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLESHOWARD & 00., OF SAME PLACE.

NEEDLE=M-ACH|NE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,782, dated April10, 1883.

Application filed August 18, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. MALLETT, of Brockton, in the county ofPlymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new Improvement inNeedle-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken inconnection with accompanying drawings and the letters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, andrepresent, in-

Figure 1, a top or plan view; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section on line :20a: of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an 'end view; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the holderdetached Figs. 7, 8, and 9, detached views.

This invention relates to an improvement in machines for pointingneedles, also applicable to grinding down that is to say, to makingthatclass of needles forsewing-machines which have a uniform diameter ofshank, but thebody of the needle reduced therefrom, and is animprovement on the machines heretofore invented by me and for whichLetters Patent have been granted, the object being to simplify themechanism for revolving the needles as Well as to afford greaterconveniences for introducing the needles to the grinding apparatus; andthe invention consists in-the construction hereinafter described, andparticularly recited in the claims.

' A represents the bed of the machine, on which, in suitable bearings,B, is the drivingshaft B, and to which power is communicated through apulley, B or otherwise to cause the shaft to revolve. At right angles tothe driving-shaft are two shafts, G 0, arranged in bearings O, and towhich a slow rotation is imparted from the driving-shaft by means of aworm, O, on the driving-shaft and a corresponding gear, 0 on the shafts0, so that the two shafts revolve in the same direction. At their outerends the said shafts each carry a grooved pulley, 0 around which is abelt, 0 of a material to present a hard surface, such as will cling tothe shanks of the needles to causethem to revolve as they pass beneathit,

- as hereinafter described. To give to the belt the proper tension,tighteners O are arranged in the usual manner for arranging suchadjustment for belts, and as seen in Fig. 2.

D is the work-table, supported above the bed (No model.)

parallel with the belt, its working-surface below the belt substantiallythe diameter of the shank of the needle-blank. Parallel with the bed Dand in rear of the belt is a leading-screw, E, to which revolution isimparted from the driving-shaft through pulleys E or otherwise.

F is the needle-holder. (Shown detached in perspective, Fig. 4,transverse section, Fig. 5, and inlongitudinalsection,Fig.6.) ThisholderF is constructed with transverserecesses a across its under side,corresponding to the size of the blanks, and so that'each recess iscapable of being set over a blank. On the upper side the holder isrecessed longitudinally, opening down into the transverse recesses. Itis constructed to set upon the bed D against a shoulder, b, at the rear,and on its rear edge is a toothed rack, d, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) whichengages with the leadingscrew E, as seen in Fig. 1, the leadingscrewextending beyond the belt so as to leave a space for engagement of theholder with the screw outside the belt. When this engagement with thescrew is made the holder passes beneath the belt under a guide,f, whichclamps over its front edge, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to secure theholder in its proper position while it is moved along by the revolvingscrew E. The belt runs through the longitudinal recess in the holders,and its under surface is exposed through the transverse recesses below.The under surface of the holderthat is, the partitions between thetransverse recesses, or a portion of themride on the surface of thetable, so that throughout its movement the holder is maintained in thesame relative position to the table. One of these holders is placed uponthe table, as seen in Fig. 1, and several needles are arranged on thetable, their shanks introduced into the recesses in the under side ofthe holder, as seen in Fig. 1. Thus arranged, the holder is engaged withthe screw E, and is moved along beneath the belt, the belt hearing uponthe upper side of the needle-shanks lying in the recess a, and,traveling in the path in which the needles move, but faster than theholders, causes'the needles all to rotate by frictional contact of thebelt with the needles. One such holder having passed on beneath thebelt, another with a supply of needles is introduced, and so on, oneafter another, the

holder,with its needles, passing out at the opposite end of the machine.During thispassage of the revolving needles the work of grinding isperformed. As here represented, this work is forpointin g, Hrepresenting the grinding-whee], arranged on a shaft insnitablebearings, and which is caused to revolve rapidly by theapplication of power thereto through pulleys II orotherwise. Thisgrinding-wheel presents its surface through the table D, asindicated inFig. 3, and so that the ends of the needle-blanks pass on in contactwith this grinding-surface, and, revolving, the points are reduced andbrought to the requisite shape, so that they pass off at the other endof the machine properly pointed. The holders, as they pass off with thefinished needles, are returned to the other end for a new series ofblanks, those which have been operated upon being taken from the machinefor further operations.

The grinding -wheel may be of various grades from one end to the other,so as to grind and polish the points; or there may be several wheels ofsuccessive grades to do the work, or the wheel may simply cut down thepoints, they then being taken to another machine to finish the points.If the work to be done bethe reducing of the body of the needles,the-grinding-wheel is arranged so as to take over the entire surface ofthe part to be reduced, either by moving the corresponding wheel orwheels out and in, or by the grinding-wheels having axes diagonal to theblanks, so that the surface of contact will extend from the shank to thepoint, the arrangement of the grinding wheel being no part of mypresentinvention, except that a grinding device of some character shouldbe employed.

On the table at the point end of the blanks a guide, h,.may be arranged,as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, to insure the blanks being kept in line; butthis guide is not essential, as the shank of the needle abuts against ashoulder at the rear, which will be sufiicient under ordinarycircumstances for this purpose. By this construction of holder theneedles are held entirely independent each of the other, and perfectlyparallel with each other.

As an auxiliary guide or support for'theneedles during their movementover the grindingwheel, and so as to prevent transverse swinging of theblanks, I attach to the front side of the holder a notched flange, l, asseen in Figs. 4. and 5, the notches in the flange corresponding to thenotchesain the holder. Ihis flange extends out over the blanks, as seenin Figs. 1 and 3, and so as to support the blank at some distanceforward from the shank.

To conveniently arrange the blanks so as to be introduced into theholder, I constructa series of parallel transverse grooves, m, in theplate L, Fig. 1, these grooves corresponding in position to thenotchesain the holder. This device is shown enlarged in Figs. 7 and 8,and for further description I refer to those figures. m represents thegrooves, which, as before stated, correspond inposition to the notches ain the holder. Across these grooves at two grooves are out, each toreceive asliding bar, N. The upper surfaceof this sliding bar initsnormal condition stands below the bottom of the grooves m, as seen inFig. 8; butitis constructed with inclined bearings n, so that alongitudinal movement imparted to the bars N causes them to rise flushwith the surface of the plate L, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 8. Theblanks are arranged in these grooves m, which they easily find whenplaced upon the plate. Then the holderFis setovertheplate L with thenotches corresponding to the grooves. Then the sliding bars moved tobring them up flush with the top of the plate L, which takes the blanksfrom the grooves in the plate L up intothe notchesintheholder.Thentheholder is moved forward, as before described, and as soon as ithas passed from the plate L the bars N are returned, more blanks placedin the grooves, another holder filled, and so on.

To adapt the feed to various diameters of blanks, other bars, 1", arearranged in the groovessay side by side with the bars N, as seen in Fig.7-and having notches in their surfaces corresponding to the grooves inthe plate andof the same width. Then ifit be desired to contract thegrooves to adapt the feed to blanks of smaller diameter, the bars 1* aremoved longitudinally, so as to partially cutoff the groove in the plate,as seen in Fig. 7, reducing the space at the bars to the diameter of theblank. The bars 1* should fit so closely in their grooves as not to heaccidentally moved 3 or they may be secured by set'screws or otherwisewhen properly adjusted.

The plate L,with its bars, may be detachable from the machine, andintroduced into a recess formed at the end of the work-plate, asindicated in broken lines, Fig. 3, for that purpose; or the grooves m mmay be made in the surface of the work-plate, as also the grooves forthe notched bars to work across the grooves m.

To create a yielding pressure upon the belt where it operates upon theblanks, I arrange a spring between the pulleys O and on the lower run ofthe belt. This spring consists of a plate, 1?, upon the under surface ofwhich a helical spring, R, is secured, as seen in Fig. 9, which showsthe plate inverted. This helical spring is wound, in the usual manner ofwinding helical springs, from elastic wire. Then the convolutions turnedto present an angle to the plate, as seen in Figs. 2 and 9. Theconvolutions bearing upon the belt press thereon with a yieldingpressure at all points, so thatshould not the belt itself under itsnatural strain be sufficient to impart rotation to the blank the springwill aid it in so doing. This plate is secured to the machine at therear by an extension, S, therefrom, as indicated in broken lines, Fig.3.

While I prefer the leading-screw as a means for moving the holder, aseries of pinions may be employed working together, so that one saidleading-screw, and arranged to ride on the surface of the said table tocarry the needles arranged in the recesses on the under side of theholder beneath the belt, and a grinding mechanism arranged to operateupon the blanks as they are revolved in their passage over said grindingmechanism, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a table upon which the needle-blanks are arranged,a belt traveling parallel with the surface of said table, and in a pathat right angles to the needle-blanks, the holder F, constructed withtransverse recesses upon its under side to set over the respectiveblanks on the table and ride upon the surface of the table, the beltworking through said holder into said recesses to make frictionalcontact with the shanks of the needles, and mechanism, substantiallysuch as described, to impart movement to said holder to carry the blankson the surface of the table and beneath the belt, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination of.a table upon which the needle-blanks are arranged,a belt traveling parallel with the surface of said table, and in a pathat right angles to the needle-blanks, the holder F, constructed withtransverse recesses upon its under side to set over the respectiveblanks on the table and ride upon the surface of the table, the beltworking through said holder into said recesses to make frictionalcontact with the shanks of the needles, and mechanism, substantiallysuch as described, to impart movement to said holder to carry the blankson the surface of the table and beneath the belt, with an auxiliarynotched guide, I, attached to the said holder F, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination of the table on which the needle-blanks arearranged,'a belt traveling parallel with the surface of said table, andbetween which and the table the shanks of the needle-blanks pass, aleading-screw parallel with the said belt, with the holder F,constructed with transverse recesses upon the uni der side, and with arack or teeth to engage the said leading-screw, and arranged to ride onthe surface of the said table to carry the needles arranged in therecesses on the under side of the holder beneath the belt, and agrinding mechanism arranged to operate upon the blanks as they arerevolved in their passage over said grinding mechanism, with transversegrooves m and bars N N, arranged in grooves crossing said grooves m,arranged for longitudinal v movement and upon inclined bearings, wherebythe longitudinal movement imparted to the said bars N will cause them torise flush with the top of the said grooves m or return below them,substantially as and for the purpose de-' scribed.

5. The combination of the table on which the needle-blanks are arranged,a belt travelin g parallel with the surface of said table, and betweenwhich and the table the shanks of the needle-blanks pass, aleading-screw parallel with the said belt,with the holderF,const-ructedwith transverse recesses upon the under side, and with a rack or teethto engage the said leading-screw, and arranged .to ride on the surfaceof the said table to carry the needles arranged in the recesses on theunder side of the holder beneath the belt, and a grinding mechanismarranged to operate upon the blanks as they are revolved in theirpassage over said grinding mechanism, with transverse grooves m and barsN N, arranged in grooves crossing said grooves m, arranged forlongitudinal movement and upon inclined bearings, whereby thelongitudinal movementimparted to the said bars N will cause them to riseflush with the top of the said grooves m or return below them, and thenotched bars r0, across the said grooves at, substantially as and forthe par pose described.

6. The combination of the table on which the needle-blanks are arranged,a belt traveling parallel with the surface of said table, and betweenwhich and the table the shanks of the needle-blanks pass, aleading-screw parallel with the said belt, with the holder F,constructed with transverse recesses upon the under side, and with arack or teeth to engage the said leading-screw, and arranged to ride onthe surface of the said table to carry the needles arranged in therecesses on the under side of the holder beneath the belt, and agrinding mechanism arranged to operate upon the blanks as they arerevolved in their passage over said grinding mechanism, with an elasticdevice consisting of the helical spring having its convolutions turnedat an angle to the belt, arranged to bear upon said belt, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

FRANCIS W. MALLETT.

Witnesses:

G. E. BOWEN, F. R. FRnNcH.

